A gorgeous afternoon biking along the Potomac, the new Wilson Bridge, and National Harbor

This afternoon I went for a bike ride down the Mount Vernon Trail along the Potomac, with the ultimate goal of exploring the newly-openend bike path on the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. As I always do, I started on Rock Creek Park, biked through Georgetown, passed the Kennedy Center, across Memorial Bridge and down to the Mount Vernon Trail.

On the Alexandria side of Wilson Bridge, I passed a lovely cemetery and vegetable garden, though Virginia has a lot of work to do around the base of the bridge to undue construction fencing and ugly paved lots that were used as staging space and is now vacant. Once on the bridge, I stopped to enjoy the fantastic views of Alexandria and the U.S. Capitol from the span, reading the tourist placards at three or four bump-out "overlooks" facing north. A signature feature of the bridge is a gorgeous, streamlined "control tower" of glass and stainless steel. Once on the Maryland side, I was impressed by the significant amount of landscaping - and seriously have to wonder how dedicated Maryland is to maintaining all of the fabulous plantings (trees and ground cover), landscaping mulch, as well as acres of brick pavers.

Continuing on the path, I discovered that it wound around to the south all the way to National Harbor, so I decided to take a look. Again, a very nice execution (though some finishing touches remain) - and I wondered again who will pick up the trash that washes up on the riverbanks along the bike path, as well as maintaining the white crushed seashells that comprise the trail once you enter the Harbor property.

Cute detail: there was a carved wooden bench on the Harbor property including two large turtles on the seat. Later, I would spot a real turtle sunning himself on a stump protruding from the shallow Potomac, about 20 yards offshore.

National Harbor was busy with people on this day thanks to the Food and Wine Festival. With all the little shops and hotels, the complex struck me as a larger version Pentagon Row, with boats. I hope the site is successful, as the community has much invested in its success. May I live long enough to see a streetcar from DC out to National Harbor and across the bridge to Alexandria. Preferably with a significant contribution from those who decided to build this thing where it can only be reached by car - and now bike.

The bridge impressed me as the kind of public works project this country used to build routinely: large, modern, beautifully designed, functional. The "V" motif of the massive piers can also be read as the middle of an even larger "M": perhaps a nod to the two states connected by the bridge.

On the way back to DC, I passed more wildlife: a large floating gaggle of geese in Old Town, an armada floating on the river, black necks straight skyward like masts. Soon after I passed National Airport, I spotted movement at the side of the trail which turned out to be a large black snake, 5-6 feet long. I stopped and shooed it off the trail, back into the brush at the water's edge, so that no one would be hurt or startled by it (though in truth I was more concerned that some macho idiot would do it harm).

Love the sun, love the trail, love the Potomac, even love the geese, snakes, and that huge white bridge.